A New Sister
by scribble the words
Summary: Kari will never be the same, her whole world is turned upside down when she finds out her Mom is her Aunt and she has been lied to for 16 years. *I do not own Ranma 1/2*
1. New Sister?

Please don't go too hard on me, this is my first fanfiction and I'm a bit nervous putting this out there for everyone to see. So please just bare with me and input is appreciated.  
  
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Soun woke drenched in sweat and his head pounding. Sure it could have been all the sake he and Genma drank the night before but what about the feeling of dread welling up from inside him. He looked at the clock, 6:30. Surely Kasumi would be up by now preparing for that mornings breakfast and chores.  
  
Soun crept downstairs careful not to wake his daughters or houseguests. He couldn't shake this feeling of dread. Something felt terribly wrong but he couldn't figure out what.  
  
"Hello Father" chirped Kasumi from the kitchen door. "Is there something wrong, you are not usually up at this hour."  
  
"I'm fine Kasumi." Stated Soun trying not to attract attention to his growing nervous state.  
  
Kasumi headed back into the kitchen to finish breakfast. Soun headed out to the dojo to see if he would work through this feeling of dread.  
  
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On the other side of the world a young girl walks into her kitchen to see her Mom fixing dinner. "Mom, is there supposed to be black smoke bellowing out of the oven?" asked Kari, concerned yet giggling to herself.  
  
"Damn it! There must be something wrong with this stupid oven, it is always burning everything." Yelled her Mom.  
  
"Sure Mom, blame it on the oven. We all know you are a world class chef and that you could never possibly burn food." Kari smirked and opened the windows to let out the thick smoke.  
  
"Kari, you got some mail today. I placed it on the table in the hall." Kari's Mom Lilly dumped the burnt dinner in the sink and grabbed the phone to order take out.  
  
The phone on the other end of the line began to ring when suddenly Kari screamed in the other room. Lilly dropped the phone and ran to where her daughter was standing holding a letter in front of her. "For crying out loud I thought someone just killed you, do you really have to scream like that?"  
  
"Mom, I got it! I have been accepted into the exchange student program. I get to go to Japan and study for a whole school year! Well, that is if you will just sign this piece of paper."  
  
"What? When did you apply for the student exchange program and why didn't you ask me for permission? No, you can not go I will not sign that paper!"  
  
With that Lilly stormed back off into the kitchen leaving a very confused Kari. "I thought she'd be proud of me. She's the one who pushed for me to take Japanese in school telling me I should know more about my heritage."  
  
Kari walked into the kitchen finding her mom sitting at the table crying. "Mom, what's wrong? I thought you'd be happy with this. Why are you crying, it's not like I'd be going away forever. It's just one school year."  
  
Lilly looked up at Kari, she was growing up so fast. She couldn't believe how beautiful she had gotten. Kari looked nothing like her, her own hair was light brown while Kari's was a deep black that almost looked blue in the sun. Her own eyes were blue while Kari's were a rich brown. She couldn't believe how different they looked. She shuddered, someday Kari would find out. She would find out that Lilly was not her birth mother and then there would be too many questions to answer.  
  
Kari embraced her Mom, petting her head and trying to make her feel better. "Mom, you do know that one day I'll be moving out and well maybe you should start dating or something."  
  
Lilly started to cry harder. "Damn, maybe I should keep my big mouth shut." Kari thought to herself.  
  
Lilly was wrestling with her demons. She had lied to Kari for 16 years. The sudden mention of Japan brought back a load of things Lilly had thought she buried a long time ago.  
  
Lilly quickly stood up leaving Kari to bang her arm on the kitchen table. She walked out to the hall closet and moved many boxes around. Way in the back, far from reach was a small wooden box with Japanese characters carved into it. A small lock on the front would prevent anyone to accidentally seeing the contents. Lilly returned to the kitchen with box in hand and thrust the box towards Kari. "Umm what's this Mom?"  
  
Lilly took a small key from a small glass box on top of the refrigerator. She handed the key to Kari. Kari traced the symbols with her finger. She knew what they were, the characters spelled out her name. Her Mom taught her how to write it when she was 3 years old. Kari suddenly grew very scared. Why was her Mother acting this way? She only asked to go to Japan, sure it was really far away but it was just Japan. It isn't like she ran off and got married at 16 or anything.  
  
Kari put the key in the keyhole and a small click signified the lock was open. She gently opened the lid and inside where many papers all in Japanese. "Mom, what is all this? I don't understand."  
  
Lilly took the papers out and a small photograph fell out from them and fell onto the floor. Kari reached down and grabbed it. It was of two babies and two people she did not know. "So, are you going to tell me who these people are? It seems to make you really upset and stuff." Kari smirked, sure she was nervous but her Mom was always blowing things out of proportion. Her Mom was a drama queen like that. "Come on Mom, just tell me what this is about. It can't be that bad." Kari didn't see her Mother's eyes. "What did you steal me from my real family?" Kari started to giggle at the absolute insanity of the question. Thinking her Mom would see just how silly she was acting maybe she would laugh too.  
  
"Kari, I, well that is I umm."  
  
Kari looked at her Mother. Her eyes were vacant. "Kari, you were born in Japan."  
  
Kari just sat there. "I was? Well ok, but why are you getting this upset. I mean sure you lied to me about it but well it isn't that bad."  
  
"That's not it Kari, you were born in Japan to another Mother."  
  
Things started to close in and everything was going black. Kari fell to the floor with a thud. Lilly rushed to her side sobbing wildly. Saying over and over that she was sorry.  
  
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"Akane breakfast is ready. You better hurry or you will be late for school again."  
  
Akane rolled over in bed, she did not feel like getting up. "I still feel so tired, maybe I'm coming down with a cold."  
  
Akane crawled out of bed and threw on her school uniform. Her books were scattered all over her desk. Shoving them into her bag she wondered if Ranma was up yet or would she have to grab a pale of water like every other morning.  
  
Akane made her way out into the hall and headed for the guest room. Pale of water in hand she could hear Ranma snoring loudly away behind the thin door. "What a lazy pervert! Why is it that I have to wake him up every morning?"  
  
Akane slides the door open and walks over to a sleeping Ranma. She nudges him a few times. "Ranma wake up, we are going to be late for school. What were you out all night with that Shampoo?"  
  
"What huh?"  
  
"RANMA GET UP!" and with that Akane dumped the icy cold contents on the sleeping martial artist.  
  
"ACK I'm up, I'm up. Stupid tomboy, you could have just told me to get up." A now very wet young red head sits where a black haired boy once was.  
  
"Come on Ranma, we don't have all day. Besides your Father is already down there and I'm sure he will have your breakfast finished soon."  
  
Ranma flew by Akane throwing on her shirt and pants. "Pop that's my pickle! Hey give that back!"  
  
"Geez Ranma, you would think you never get fed with the way you are acting." Kasumi fills Ranma bowl with more rice as Akane sits down next to him.  
  
"Kasumi, where is Nabiki?"  
  
"Oh, Nabiki left for school early today, she said she had some business to attend to."  
  
"Speaking of school, we better get a move on if we don't want to be late." Akane dumped a hot cup of water over Ranma's head and grabbed the boy by the pigtail and headed towards the door. As she glanced over her shoulder she noticed a very worried look on her Father's face.  
  
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It was at the same time that a very confused Kari regained consciousness to a very wet shirt and a Mother who was still sobbing. "Mom, what happened? I could have sworn you just told me that you're not my real mother."  
  
"Kari, I'm not your real Mother. Your real Mother died when you were very little. So little that you would not remember anything of her at all."  
  
Lilly sat there looking at a stunned Kari. "Well, who is my Mother then?"  
  
"You were born in a small town in Nerima, Japan. Your Mother was my sister. I guess that would actually make me your aunt."  
  
"But why? I don't understand why you would have me. What about my Father?"  
  
"Your Father could not handle what was going on and my sister asked me to take you and raise you to make things easier on him. She also asked me never to tell you just to raise you as my own. You see you have three other sisters."  
  
"I WHAT? Why have you kept this from me? How could you?" Kari began to cry. "How could my Father just let this happen? Did he love my other sisters more and just gave me away? How could you lie to me?"  
  
"Kari, I swear I never wanted you to find out like this. I love you so much. I was just honoring my sister's last wishes before she died. She loved you very much Kari, she didn't chose which of you would come with me. I just grabbed one of you and left like she asked. I move to America to raise you as my own."  
  
"But why? Why couldn't I stay with my family?" "One of your sisters is your twin Kari. You Father had two daughters under the age of 6 and you and your sister were very small. I'm not saying how it happened was right, I have carried this guilt with me for years but it is what your Mother wanted."  
  
"How did she die? Why hasn't my Father sent for me now that I'm older?"  
  
"Your Mother had cancer, the doctors said it was too far along for treatment and that it was a matter of months before she would pass. I'm sure your Father was just as grief stricken as me and doesn't know how to tell you this."  
  
"So instead of telling me that I have a whole other family and that my Mother died before I could remember her you just lied to me?"  
  
"Kari, we were just doing what we thought was best. We didn't want to hurt you."  
  
"When can I go see my sisters?"  
  
"I'll call your Father, tell him you know and that you want to come to Japan."  
  
"I don't want my Father to know. I have nothing to say to him. I'll find my sisters on my own and tell them what has happened."  
  
"Kari please, your Mother was so young when she died, so was I. We were doing what we thought would be best. She knew your Father couldn't raise two babies on his own."  
  
Lilly reached inside the box now lying on the table. She pulled out another photograph. It was of two young women around the age of seventeen. They looked exactly alike. Kari took the picture. Lilly began to cry. Kari, please I wish I could have stayed in Japan with your Father and sisters but as you can see from that photograph that your Mother and I are identical twins. Your Father was having a hard enough time losing his young wife, if I would have stayed with you it would have been a constant reminder and your Father would never have been able to get over it. Please don't blame him."  
  
"Mom, or Aunt or whoever you are. Please just sign my papers so I can go to Japan with the exchange program. I want to do this on my terms. After all you all lied to me for the past 16 years. I think you owe me at least this."  
  
"If that is what you really want Kari, I'll do it. I just hope you can forgive me for this one day. I never did this to hurt you. I love you as if you were my own daughter. I'm so sorry."  
  
Kari stood up and left the kitchen. She needed time to think and work out some of this anger. Kari put on her running shoes grabbed her Walkman and took off for the park to run a few miles before bedtime. She had much to think about and not much time before she would leave for Japan. "I can't believe my whole life has been a lie." With that thought Kari turned up her headphones and ran faster. 


	2. French Toast

Kari found herself running the path around the park for the third time. She really didn't want to go home, she didn't feel like facing her Mother. She thought again, not her Mother but some stranger who claimed to be her Mother for the past 16 years. Reluctantly Kari headed towards her home. She stopped running and slowly walked trying to stretch the time.  
  
Kari slowly opened the front door; all of the lights downstairs were off. She could hear Lilly crying upstairs. Kari inhaled sharply thinking to herself that she should do something. She climbed the stairs and stood in front of her Mom's door, not wanting to knock but needing to make sure she was ok. Sure she lied to Kari but Lilly was all she knew.  
  
"Mom?" Kari pushed the door open slightly.  
  
Lilly quickly tried to regain composure. "Kari? You're still talking to me?"  
  
"I've had a little time to think about this. I'm still very angry but I know you love me and you're all I know. I guess it's better to have some sort of Mom than no Mom at all."  
  
Lilly reached for Kari's hand. "Kari, honestly I never meant for all this to happen."  
  
"Do you know anything about my sisters?"  
  
"I know their names and ages. Your oldest sister is names Kasumi; she would be 19 by now. Next is Nabiki, she's 17. Your twin sister's name is Akane and well obviously she's you're age."  
  
"Who is older, me or Akane?" Kari's eyes shifted from the floor to her Mom.  
  
"You're older by three minutes."  
  
Kari just sat there. This was still all too fresh for her and she was thinking quickly for a way to excuse herself without upsetting Lilly more. YAWN, "I guess that run made me more tired than I thought it did. Is it all right if I head off to bed? You don't need me to do anything for you do you?"  
  
"No, no I'll be fine. You get some rest. I'll make you breakfast tomorrow and we'll talk some more." Kari cringed thinking about the burnt food from earlier.  
  
"Sure Mom, umm I'll see you in the morning."  
  
Kari padded down the hall to her room stopping by the bathroom on the way there. "I stink, I guess I'll wash up before I go to bed."  
  
Kari flipped on the light to reveal the light blue walls and the rubber ducky shower curtain. Kari tossed her dirty clothes in the hamper and turned on the hot water. She stood there with the cold water running over her head trying to wash all the bad feelings away. She had never been betrayed like this and it was taking its toll on her.  
  
Kari grabbed a heavy blue towel and carelessly wrapped it around herself and headed to her bedroom. "I just hope I can get some sleep." She glanced over at her clock. It was already well past midnight and Kari still had school to go to the next day.  
  
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Akane was sitting at her desk finishing her lunch and talking to her friends.  
  
"Akane? Earth to Akane." Yuka noticed Akane had not been paying attention and started to worry about the girl.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night. I'm still tired." Akane glanced over to Ranma who was stuffing his face and laughing with his friends.  
  
Sayuri smiled " So did you and Ranma have a rough night last night?" The two girls giggled at Akane who blushed furiously.  
  
"Me and that pervert? I don't think so." Akane trying in vain to control the shades of red washing over her face avoided eye contact with the two girls.  
  
"Come on Akane, you can tell us. What did you and Ranma do?" Both girls staring at Akane who was getting angry and ready to release her wrath, they should have been backing up at this point but didn't.  
  
"RANMA AND I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING LAST NIGHT NOW WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT UP ABOUT IT!" Akane just realizing that she screamed that at the two girls turned her head to see the whole class including Ranma staring at her.  
  
Ranma glared at the girl. "As if I'd want anything to do with that un-cute tomboy."  
  
"No one asked you Ranma." Akane shot back.  
  
"You're the one yelling about it." Ranma looking back to his food trying to concentrate on things other than the macho Akane but failing miserably. As much as he didn't want to admit it he worried about Akane when she was upset and that walk to school this morning made him wonder just what she was worried about. Of course, he would never admit that to her.  
  
Akane turned back to her friends and brooded over the events just past. "Akane, do you want to go shopping with us after school? There is a new shop and Yuka and I were going to stop by there."  
  
Akane looked down to her desk remembering the look on her Father's face this morning. "I better not. I have things I have to get done at the house today."  
  
Yuka and Sayuri did not press the issue, they knew better than to pester Akane after an outburst having to do with Ranma.  
  
Akane kept thinking about her Father and how sad he looked. The last time she saw his eyes look like that was when they went to visit her Mother's grave. She looked at the calendar; the anniversary of her death was months away. "I wonder what was wrong with Father. He has been in such a good mood lately with Mr. Saotome around."  
  
Lunch period ended and the rest of the day passed quickly considering Akane could not keep her mind on the lessons. The final bell came and Akane put her books into her bag and headed out of the classroom. Ranma stopped her outside the door. "Akane, are you ok you seemed really distant for the last part of class and well I was worried."  
  
"Huh? Oh I'm sorry Ranma, I was just thinking about some stuff."  
  
"Oh?" Ranma couldn't help but notice that Akane was acting nothing like herself. "She said she was sorry. Akane would have pounded me for calling her a macho chick earlier. Something has to be wrong." He thought.  
  
Akane started walking down the hall and Ranma quickly followed. "So do you want to talk about it? Is there something I did to make you mad again, for no reason."  
  
"Ranma, why do you think everything has to be about you? If you really must know I'm worried about my Father. He didn't look so good this morning and well it has me worried. I haven't seen him look that bad since my Mother's last anniversary of her death."  
  
"Oh" Ranma felt ashamed, he didn't know how to react to things like this. Ranma never lost a parent to death though he might as well have being his Dad took him away from her.  
  
Ranma quietly walked behind Akane all the way home. He kept trying to think of something to say but kept coming up blank. They arrived at the gate of the Tendo residence and entered finding Soun sweeping the front path. "Hello Father" said Akane. "Are you feeling better?"  
  
Soun looked up, a little shocked to see Akane there. He lost all track of time lost in thought. "Oh yes, I'm just fine Akane, you need not worry yourself with little things like this."  
  
His eyes looked red and slightly puffy as if he had been crying. Akane kept looking at him as she walked the rest of the way towards the house. Ranma had already dumped his shoes at their normal resting place and ran inside to see if he could grab a quick snack before dinner. Akane slid off her shoes and called out. "I'm home!"  
  
"Oh Akane, how was school?" Kasumi was her cheerful self and it reassured Akane a little that Father must be ok if Kasumi isn't visibly worried about it.  
  
"School was ok. I think I'm going to get some practice in before dinner. That is unless you want any help in the kitchen." Ranma looked over to Akane and fear rushed over his face.  
  
"No, that's fine Akane you can go practice."  
  
Ranma exhaled sharply relieved that he would have a meal without the threat of death.  
  
Akane lost herself in her workout forgetting for a short while about her Father's current mood. Kasumi came out to the dojo to tell Akane that dinner was almost ready and that she should wash up. "Akane, are you alright? I've been calling you for the last five minutes from the door and you haven't answered."  
  
"Huh? Oh I'm fine Kasumi, I just have a lot on my mind with school and all." Akane avoided Kasumi's eyes; she would know there was something more going on than just school.  
  
"Akane I know you are worried about Father, I am too but we must trust that he is fine when he tells us that there is nothing wrong. Whatever is bothering him he can take care deal with it. You have to have trust in your Father."  
  
Kasumi turned around and headed back towards the house. Akane thought about what Kasumi just said. "She's right, Father can take care of himself if he needed help he'd let us know."  
  
Akane headed into the house and headed for the bath. Lost in thought Akane undressed, and entered the interior of the bathroom. She sat on the small stool and started to wash up. "Father really would tell us if something was wrong wouldn't he?"  
  
Akane got into the tub and tried to soak out the thoughts in the very hot water. She started drifting off into her thoughts.  
  
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Kari woke up and glanced at the clock. "Great, 6AM. I thought I'd be able to get a little more sleep than that. I might as well get up and make breakfast before Mom can get a chance to burn the house down."  
  
Kari swung her legs off her bed and slipped her feet into her fuzzy bear feet slippers. She would have to remember to bring these with her when she leaves for Japan. Kari walked down the stairs and headed for the kitchen. The box from last night was still there. She picked up the pictures, the two babies and the picture of her Mom and well her real Mom. "I guess this wasn't a bad dream." She let out a deep sigh.  
  
She opened the refrigerator and took out some eggs and milk. She set them on the counter and started to look for a bowl and pan. Kari grumbled to herself. "Not only can my Mom not cook but she doesn't even put things in logical places. Why would she put the mixing bowls under the stove and the pans in the cabinet?"  
  
After retrieving the items she needed she looked at them sitting there. "I'm missing something, oh yeah the bread. I can't make French toast without bread."  
  
Kari started mixing and dipping the pieces of bread into the egg mixture. The frying pan was on the stove and was ready. Piece after piece Kari's mind wandered to what was going to happen when she got to Japan. "Are they going to hate me? Will they even want to know me?"  
  
Kari failed to notice she had gone through a whole loaf of bread and the French toast was now piled very high on the plate. She looked at the plate and smacked her forehead. "What am I doing?"  
  
Lilly woke to the smell of something delicious cooking and headed for the kitchen. She had such poor cooking skills that she never passed up an opportunity to eat Kari's cooking. She didn't fully remember the events of the night before until she walked into the kitchen and saw the box on the table and the two photographs propped up against it.  
  
"Kari, I was going to cook you breakfast." She wasn't really upset but she wanted to stay off the subject of last night, if only for right now.  
  
"Yeah, I know you wanted to cook but I woke up so early and I was really hungry" Kari pointed to the obscenely enormous stack of French toast.  
  
Lilly looked at what Kari was pointing to and laughed. "Are you going to eat all of those on your own or are you up to sharing them?"  
  
Kari pondered for a minute. "Well I AM really hungry, I think I could finish off this stack." She winked at her Mom and put a healthy sized stack on another plate and gave some to her Mom.  
  
Kari took a few for herself leaving a lot more sitting on a plate on the counter. They sat and ate in silence. It was almost painful.  
  
"Here is that paper for you to sign." Kari pushed the paper needing Lilly's signature for Kari to take part in the exchange program.  
  
Lilly picked up the pen. "I wish you would let me at least call your Father and tell him that you are going to be in Japan."  
  
Kari glared at her Mother. "I already told you I want nothing to do with him. I'm still not over this and I'm still a little angry at you too."  
  
Lilly winced at Kari's words. Would Kari ever forgive her? Lilly took the pen and signed the paper. "Kari, I know you are still angry with me. I know it will take time for you to forgive me but please at least give your Father a chance to tell you he is sorry."  
  
"I can't do that right now. I just want to meet my sisters and try and figure out who I really am."  
  
Kari shoved a huge bite of food into her mouth. She snatched the signed paper and headed to her room. Lilly just sat there, pushing food around on her plate no longer hungry. She needed to get Kari to see that she was really sorry and she would do anything to make it up to her.  
  
Kari opened her closet and started riffling through things. "ARGGH! Why is it that I have so much clothing yet I never have anything to wear?" She walked over to her desk and opened a drawer. Inside was a little box. She opened the box and pulled out an envelope inside it. "Forty dollars, that's all I have left from my savings."  
  
Kari sighed. Usually clothing issues didn't bother her but she was trying to get her mind off her problems by thinking about other things.  
  
Lilly finished cleaning up from breakfast and looked at the clock. "I should go talk to Kari before she heads off to school."  
  
Lilly climbed the stairs and approached Kari's door. She lightly knocked and waited for a response. "Yeah?"  
  
"Kari, can I come in?"  
  
"I guess."  
  
Lilly entered the room; there were clothes all over the place and Kari sitting in the middle of her bed. "Clothing problems?" Asked Lilly.  
  
"Yeah." Kari didn't know what to say to her Mom. They were usually very close but Kari felt they were miles apart now.  
  
"How about we skip school and work and go shopping for your trip?" Lilly was grabbing at anything to get her daughter to talk to her.  
  
Kari thought about it. She didn't have to turn in the form until next week and she really was in no shape to face her friends and explain what was going on. "Sure."  
  
Lilly was shocked but she smiled through it. "I'll go call school and work and let them know we won't be going in today."  
  
Kari looked at her Mom trying to only remember her as just that. Her Mom. She couldn't hate her; after all she raised Kari and took very good care of her. She felt slightly guilty for some of the things she had said last night. "I'll set things right before I leave."  
  
Kari tossed on some loose jeans and a baggy t-shirt that had seen better days. She would normally throw out clothes that worn but there was something about this shirt that made her feel safe. The green fabric was extremely soft to the touch and the collar was worn in places with tiny holes along the edge.  
  
Kari thought about the shirt. She had good times with it, just like her mom. She couldn't just toss away the years she spent with her Mom just because things were different now.  
  
Lilly called from the stairs. "Come on Kari, I'll pull the car out of the garage and wait out front for you." "OK" Replied Kari.  
  
She ran down the stairs and stopped in the kitchen. The French toast had been cleaned up but the two photographs were still propped against the box. "I wonder if any of them have any idea that I even exist?"  
  
With that thought Kari headed out the front door locking it behind her. She jumped into the front passenger seat and looked at Lilly. "You know, maybe you could let ME drive today. You know, as sort of a peace offering." She nudged her Mom to let her know she was joking and off the two went. 


	3. Shinigami

Dinner was finished at the Tendo residence. Soun headed to his room for an early night. He managed to keep his worries buried deep inside. He picked up the small wooden box and opened it. His heart ached seeing a daughter he hardly knew. "How could I do this to my family? It seemed like the right thing to do at the time but instead I only hurt them more."  
  
Soun thinks back to that fateful day. (Soun speaks to a shinigami) "It's a deal, you make it so my family won't starve and I'll give you the eldest of the twins my wife is carrying."  
  
"It is settled then. I will be back in 3 years on this day to collect what is mine."  
  
Soun felt sick to his stomach but did not have time to think about what he had just done. His wife cried out to him. "Soun, the babies are coming. Hurry please!"  
  
Mrs. Tendo gave birth to two beautiful and healthy baby girls. Soun held one and his wife held the other. Soun declared that the one he was holding would be named Tendo Akane and the baby his wife was holding would be Tendo Kari. They both smiled as Kasumi and Nabiki sat next to their exhausted Mother and smiled at their new sisters.  
  
Soun told the small girls to go out side and play in the garden to let their Mother rest. They complied without argument and Soun sat next to his wife. "Soun, what are we going to do? We have very little money to feed the two children we already have we will surely starve."  
  
As she spoke those words a knock came to the front door. Soun placed Akane in her Mother's arms and went to the door. It was two young men asking about the Tendo training hall and wanting to train under Soun. They both gave him a small pouch of money and said they would be back the next day to begin training.  
  
Soun smiled and quickly forgot about his deal with the shinigami. He rushed back to his wife and said they would not starve. He showed her the money and she was speechless.  
  
The next day the two students came back and two more showed up. With the same request as the last two students to be trained by Soun. This kept happening until Soun was busy with classes and there was plenty of money to feed all the children. He soon forgot about the deal that was made and concentrated on the dojo.  
  
Three years had past and the twins would be celebrating their third birthday. Soun sat talking to his wife and her sister when he heard a whisper from behind him. He walked over to the tree he heard it from and there was the shinigami ready to collect Kari's soul. Soun turned white, he had forgotten about the deal because of all the good fortune they had experienced. Soun told the shinigami he would retrieve the small child. Soun grabbed Lilly by the arm and pulled her to the front gate of the house. He picked up Kari and handed her to Lilly. "Lilly, please don't ask me to explain, you must take Kari and leave Japan. Get as far away from here as you can. I made a deal with a shinigami 3 years ago and he's here to take Kari. Please hurry. Don't take anything with you just take the girl and run as fast as you can.  
  
Lilly took Kari and a small leather pouch filled with money and ran out of the gate. She ran as far as she could with Kari in her arms. She reached the train station and looked around. No one followed her. She started to think about what was happening. "This can't be for real. Soun would never do something so stupid as to sell his daughter's soul."  
  
She began to think about how successful the dojo had gotten. How everything started to fall into place the very day her sister gave birth to the twins. "Oh no, he did. That idiot! Where am I supposed to take her? I can't stay in Japan."  
  
Lilly boarded the train. She held the child who was upset yet did not cry. "Kari, you're such a good girl. Don't worry everything will be just fine."  
  
Kari looked out the window of the train. She whispered, "Mommy?"  
  
Tears ran down Lilly's cheeks. She had to find someplace safe to hide with Kari until this was all over. Lilly would go to see some friends who would know what to do.  
  
Back at the Tendo dojo the shinigami was growing more and more angry. "Soun, we had a deal. I held up to my half now where is the child!"  
  
"I, well, she must be around here somewhere." Soun kept pretending to look.  
  
His wife came out to the garden to ask what he was doing. "Soun, who are you speaking to?"  
  
She broke off her words when she saw the small shinigami. "Just who are you?" she asked.  
  
"You know exactly what I am, I'm a shinigami and I've come to collect your daughter Kari. Soun promised her soul to me if I made it so that none of you would starve to death. I did just that and now I want her soul."  
  
"Soun, you did what?"  
  
Soun looked at his wife. The pain in her eyes was too much to bear. "Soun, where is Kari right now." She asked.  
  
"She's not here. I sent her away." Soun looked at his wife than at the shinigami.  
  
"YOU BROKE OUR DEAL? For your deceit I will take the soul of your other twin."  
  
Akane was sitting on the ground coloring in a book. She did not notice the events taking place around her. Her Mother snatched her up away from the shinigami. "You will not take my daughter. You will not take any of my daughters. I want you to leave now!"  
  
The shinigami's anger was continually growing. "I will not leave here without a soul. If you will not allow me to take one of your daughters I will take you." The shinigami approached the woman. It extended its arm and touched a finger to the middle of her chest.  
  
"Her soul will be mine in a matter of days. For your ignorance of our contract I will be sure she suffers plenty in her last few days. I will be back for Kari; you can count on that Soun Tendo. I do not let an agreement be backed out of so easily." With that the shinigami disappeared.  
  
Soun ran over to his wife. "Curse you Soun, curse you for what you have done to our family." She grabbed her chest and could feel the pain quickly growing inside her. She stumbled into the house and climbed into bed. The next three days she spent holding her daughters and telling them how much she loved them. The evening of the third day she fell asleep and did not wake up.  
  
Soun feel asleep on his bed the picture of his two daughters on his chest his sleep was not peaceful that night.  
  
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Kari sat on her bed bags littered all over from the shopping trip the day before. There were questions that still plagued her but she didn't ask her Mother because she didn't feel she could truly trust her. Kari tossed on some clothes and went down stairs to grab some breakfast.  
  
She entered the kitchen and saw the two pictures on the table. "Why do I feel like I haven't gotten the whole story?" She picked up the photographs and slides them into her notebook. She heard her Mother moving around upstairs and in an attempt to avoid her she grabbed her bag and headed for school.  
  
"Why would my Father give me up and not any of the other children? Why would my real Mother allow this?" Questions kept swirling around Kari's head and she didn't even realize she was right in front of her school now.  
  
"KARI! Where have you been?" Yelled out her best friend Beth.  
  
Kari looked up. "Oh, umm well you see. My Mom said I could take part in the exchange program and she wanted to spend time with me before I left."  
  
Kari felt so guilty lying to her best friend. She couldn't talk about this yet, not with how she was feeling about all of this. If she couldn't answer questions of her own she surely wouldn't be able to answer her friend's.  
  
Together they walked into the school. "Beth I need to go to the office before home room so I can drop off this form for the exchange program. I'll catch up with you in a little while."  
  
Beth waved goodbye as they went their separate ways. Kari felt relieved for the time being. Confusion was coming in waves. She was so shocked yesterday she didn't think about the details that were not matching up in her Mother's story. "I'll find all the answers in Japan."  
  
Kari entered the office and sat waiting for the principal to see her. He greeted her with a huge smile and asked her into his office. "Well Kari, what do I owe the pleasure of this visit this morning?"  
  
Kari took out the form and handed it to him. "I am turning in my signed form for the exchange program."  
  
"You're leaving us Kari? But you're one of the school's best students."  
  
Kari blushed. "Well I really wanted to learn more about my heritage and I figured this would be the best way."  
  
Her principal looked over the form. "Well Kari, we will miss you a great deal you will have to stay in touch with us here. The only thing left to do is to get your school assignment and the information on the family you will be staying with."  
  
He stood up and went over to a file cabinet opened the drawer and pulled out a folder with exchange student information in it. "Let's see what we have here shall we?"  
  
Kari suddenly got worried. Japan was a huge place, what if her assignment was nowhere near where her family lived. Her face grew white. She had not thought about this at all. Before it didn't matter but now it was vital to her plans. The principal looked at Kari. "Are you feeling ok? You don't look so good. Maybe I should call the school nurse."  
  
Kari was frozen. What should she do? She opened her bag and out fell her notebook with the pictures in it. On the back of one of the pictures was a character. "Kari looked at it. Damn it I know what that is. Think stupid think." Kari kept trying to run through her conversation with her Mom from yesterday.  
  
"NERIMA!" She hadn't realized she yelled that out. The principal dropped the phone.  
  
"Kari? Are you ok?"  
  
"Yes I'm fine."  
  
The principal looked at her again straightening out his brow. "Here it is. You'll be going to Furinkan High School in Nerima Japan." He scratched his head. "How did you know about Nerima?"  
  
Kari's eyes grew huge. "Umm you just said it a second ago didn't you?" Her principal looked at her and smiled.  
  
"I must have."  
  
He handed her the folder with the information in it and wrote her out a pass for homeroom. Kari grabbed the folder and bolted out the door. "How in the world?" She looked at the name. It was Nerima. It had to be the same place. If she wasn't confused before she was now for sure.  
  
Kari stuffed the folder into her bag and ran to her homeroom. "Things couldn't get any stranger than this? Could they?"  
  
Kari entered the class and handed the pass to her teacher. She took her seat and Beth whispered over to her. "Kari, you look as white as a ghost. Are you feeling ok, maybe you should go home."  
  
Kari forced a smile. "No, I'm fine. I'm just really excited about this trip and all."  
  
Beth looked concerned but she let the issue drop and went back to her studying.  
  
Kari pulled out the folder. She didn't get the name of the family she would be staying with in Japan. She read over the papers. According to this she would be staying with a family who's daughter was going to Furinkan High School as well. The girl's name was Yoshiko Sayuri.  
  
Kari finished looking over the papers. The flight information was left open so she could have the opportunity to leave a little earlier to get settled for school. Kari wanted to leave right now. She wanted to pack up her stuff and get on the plane. "Kari, the bell rang we have to get to Gym class." Beth poked her in the head.  
  
The two walked to the Gym and changed out of their normal clothes. Kari lost herself in a game of softball and actually started to enjoy herself for the time being.  
  
The school day was over and Kari was walking back to her house. She had a lot of stuff to do before she left. Kari broke into a sprint.  
  
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Soun woke up screaming. "I'm sorry."  
  
Kasumi knocked on her Father's door. "Father, can I come in are you ok?"  
  
"Yes Kasumi I'm fine." Kasumi opened the door and walked over to her Father.  
  
Soun took a stack of old envelopes out of the box next to his bed. He handed them to Kasumi. She looked at the front of them. Each one was addressed to Tendo Kari in the United States. "Father, why do you have these?"  
  
"Kasumi, you were old enough to remember Kari. I knew that. I also knew you heard the conversation I had with your Mother before she passed away. I know you heard where Kari went to and I know you heard about the shinigami." Tears feel down Soun's face.  
  
Kasumi also began to cry. "I've never told anyone where she was. I didn't want the shinigami to find her. I have tried very hard to be strong like Mother was."  
  
"I know Kasumi, that is why I took the letters you wrote to her and hid them." Soun felt ashamed.  
  
"Father, is this why you have been so upset the last few days? Is something wrong with Kari?" Kasumi just wanted her little sister to be back in their home and safe. She had kept this bottled in for so long that it all seemed like pretend. Almost like Kari never really existed at all.  
  
"Kasumi, I don't know if Kari is ok. I haven't gotten word from your aunt in a very long time." Soun was so conflicted. He couldn't bring his daughter home; the shinigami would show up and demand her soul.  
  
"Father, you should go back to bed. We will think of something in the morning."  
  
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Kari started packing her new clothes. Her host family would be expecting her to arrive in Japan soon. Kari didn't give anymore thought to the convenience of her being placed exactly where she wanted to be.  
  
Everything would be sorted out soon. Or so she thought.  
  
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* Author's Notes * a shinigami is a soul collecting spirit of death. I took a little bit of liberty of their exact duties in this story. Yoshiko Sayuri - I had to give Sayuri a last name because I looked everywhere and couldn't find it. If anyone knows her real last name could you let me know? (Sayuri being one of Akane's friends at school) 


	4. Soun asks for help

"I'm never going to be able to fit all these clothes in here." Kari felt defeated as she had two suitcases full and still many bags scattered on the floor filled with clothes.  
  
She thought about taking a fresh stab at this after a hot bath. Maybe she would be lucky and comeback to suitcases neatly packed and her worries gone.  
  
Kari entered the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror, her blue-black hair just touching her shoulders. "I wonder what Akane looks like. I mean we are twins and all but how does she dress what style is her hair? Would I recognize her right away or would we pass each other on the street without noticing?"  
  
Kari pulled her hair back in a ponytail and looked closer at her eyes. "It's funny I never really thought about my features before. Now that I know someone else might look exactly like me it's funny how you notice things." Her deep brown eyes shimmered as they watered up thinking about a sister she should be closest to in this world but has never met.  
  
Kari pulled off her shirt and let it drop on the floor. She stood sideways and looked studying her frame. Sure she had a small chest but it never bothered her. Her stomach was flat yet her hips were a little too round. "Womanly hips my butt." Kari pulled off her jeans and tossed them and her shirt into the hamper.  
  
She looked herself up and down in the mirror. She thought of her sister. "I wonder what she is doing right now."  
  
Kari turned on the hot water. The tub started to fill and the steam slowly washed away her reflection in the mirror.  
  
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At the same time Akane entered the bathroom ready for a nice bath before school. She sat down and started to wash up. She was trying to not be annoyed this morning even though someone had to wake her up by screaming early this morning. "Damn that Ranma, always fooling around."  
  
Akane rinsed off and got into the tub. The water was slightly warmer than room temperature. She sat there and closed her eyes. This would be the last relaxing moment she would have today so she tried to enjoy it.  
  
Kasumi and Soun sat at the table whispering when they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. "What is what the secrecy you two?" Probed Nabiki. She couldn't stand not being part of any secret being that it would be one less thing she could exploit.  
  
"Secrets? There are no secrets here." Kasumi said giving her Father a look as if to say don't break down and cry now we still haven't figured out what to do.  
  
"Kasumi is right, there are no secrets here Nabiki." Soun quickly picked up the newspaper and pretended to read.  
  
"Yeah, sure no secrets. I will find out, I always do." With that Nabiki went back to her room to grab a ledger she had forgotten.  
  
Ranma just finished getting dressed and started down the hall when Nabiki bumped into him. "Saotome you should really watch where you are going."  
  
"Uh, sorry." Nabiki had grabbed him by his sleeve and pulled him into her room.  
  
"Ranma, something strange is going on in this house and for once it isn't people changing genders. I caught Father and Kasumi whispering on my way down stairs for breakfast. You wouldn't know anything about this would you?"  
  
"Whispering? Sorry Nabiki, I don't know anything about it. So if you don't mind I'm really hungry." Ranma opened the door and walked right into Akane.  
  
"Is this going to be a problem all day Ranma?" cracked Nabiki from behind him.  
  
"Ranma, what are you doing?" Asked Akane. "Honestly!"  
  
The two went downstairs for breakfast and Kasumi pointed out that they were going to be late and should hurry up.  
  
Akane and Ranma ran all the way to school as usual. At the gate Sayuri greeted Akane. "Akane, how are you?"  
  
"Hi Sayuri! I'm ok even though we had to run all the way to school." Akane quickly looked around to see if Kuno was waiting to give her and Ranma a hard time.  
  
Ranma went ahead and entered the school leaving Akane to talk with her friends. "Akane, remember when I told you a few weeks ago that my family will be a host family for an exchange student?"  
  
"Yeah Sayuri? You still doing that?"  
  
"Yeah, she's going to be here in a few days. I think my Mom said her name is Kari."  
  
"Do you know anything else about her?" Asked Akane.  
  
"All I know is that she is our age and she is from the United States of America." Sayuri was excited and talking more about the exchange program as they entered the classroom and took their seats.  
  
Class was started and Ranma dozed off into a nap as usual. "Akane looked over to him. I'll have to make extra copies of today's notes. I really wish he would stay away for more classes than just Gym."  
  
Akane started thinking about the new exchange student. "A new student from the US. This would be interesting. It would be just a matter of time before Ranma had a fiancée from there too." Akane laughed to herself.  
  
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Lilly came home from work, the house was so quiet. "Kari are you home?" No answer. She went to the foot of the stairs. "Kari are you up there?" Still no answer from Kari. Lilly went up to her room. In the nightstand beside her bed was a small book. On the very last page was a series of numbers.  
  
"I have to risk calling them." Lilly picked up the phone. She started dialing the numbers. She was about to dial the last number when she heard the front door fly open and an ecstatic Kari rush through.  
  
"MOM!" Kari yelled through the house. Lilly put the receiver down and went to see what the commotion was all about.  
  
"I'm right here Kari, you don't have to wake the dead." Kari was waving something wildly about in her hands. "Well are you going to tell me what it is or am I going to have to have you committed?" Joked Lilly.  
  
Kari handed her Mom her plane tickets and detailed instructions about her trip. Lilly's heart sank. She had to find a way to keep Kari here, for her own safety. Lilly needed to get Kari out of the house so she could make that phone call. She looked at the clock. "It's already past nine. I can't tell her to go out, she will wonder what is going on."  
  
Kari and Lilly went into the kitchen to grab a late night snack. "So Mom, is there anything I should know about Japan that you haven't told me yet?" Kari sat at the table spooning chocolate ice cream into two bowls.  
  
"Well you already know to mind your manners. Be very careful of how you speak to people of course you know that. Hmm well most likely you won't be eating cold cereal in the morning and breakfast is a bigger deal than I make it out to be. You will be expected to eat with your host family every morning." Lilly and Kari kept talking about small things. Kari sat with her empty bowl in front of her. She let out a loud yawn.  
  
"I'm going to bed. I can't believe it's is eleven o'clock." Kari hugged her Mom and put her bowl in the sink. Kari departed and went to bed to dream about her adventures.  
  
Lilly pulled out a scrap of paper she wrote the number from earlier on. "I have to call them now or I'll never get the chance."  
  
Lilly grabbed the kitchen phone. She listened for a second to make sure no one picked up one of the other phones. Lilly punched in the numbers. The phone on the other end of the line rang. A sweet voice answered. "Tendo residence, how may I help you?"  
  
"I need to speak with Mr. Tendo, it is urgent." Lilly waited for a second. A man's voice answered. "Hello?"  
  
"Soun, it's me. We have a huge problem." Soun knew at that second that it was Lilly and something was wrong with Kari.  
  
"Soun are you there?" Pleaded Lilly.  
  
"Yes, what has happened? Is she ok?" Concern grew in his voice.  
  
"Yes, she is fine but well she is coming to Japan."  
  
"What? No, you cannot let her. How has this happened?"  
  
"She is taking part in a student exchange program. I told her that she was sent here with me because her Mother died and you could not feed all the children. I think she is on to this not being the real story but what am I supposed to tell her. That her Father was going to sell her soul?"  
  
"You know what will happen if she comes to Japan." Soun said flatly.  
  
"I'm aware of that. There has to be something we can do."  
  
Soun was silent for a minute. "Soun? What are we going to do? Is there a way to undo the deal? We have to have more options than to just let it take her."  
  
"We will figure something out. I'll trade my own soul if I need to." Soun tried to keep from crying. He so badly wanted to see his daughter, to tell her the truth.  
  
"How long do we have?" Asked Soun.  
  
" I have her tickets right here. She leaves on the 20th."  
  
"That gives me less than a day to figure something out." Soun sighed.  
  
"It's out of our hands, she was bound to want to go to Japan sooner of later." Lilly felt like she was going to lose her daughter. That once she left she would never see her again, this made the pain come in waves.  
  
"Call me the second her plane takes off, I don't care what time it is." Soun hung up the phone. Kasumi was standing next to him the whole time.  
  
"Father, what is going on?" Kasumi looked more worried than she had in a very long time.  
  
"Are your sisters around?" Soun looked in towards the heart of the house.  
  
"No Father, they are all still at school and Mr. Saotome is at Dr. Tofu's clinic."  
  
Soun lowered his voice. "Kasumi, she is coming to Japan. She found out about certain things and she is coming here with an exchange student program."  
  
Kasumi's face lost color. "Father, wouldn't that mean that she will." She didn't finish her sentence. Her Father grabbed her into a tight hug.  
  
"We will not let anything happen to her. We will figure something out. Kasumi you have to pretend nothing is going on we can't have everyone knowing."  
  
"Father, we need to find some help." Kasumi was trying to think of anything they could do to keep Kari from reaching Japan and having her soul taken.  
  
"Who would be wise enough to know about things like this?" Asked Soun.  
  
"Well do you think that young Chinese girl and her grandmother might be able to help us?"  
  
"I don't know Kasumi, they might be the last people we want to ask a favor of." Soun kept thinking about that idea. Kasumi might have a point.  
  
"I'm going to see what I can do about all of this. I'll be back before dinner Kasumi." With that Soun left the house and started walking to the café that Shampoo and her Grandmother ran.  
  
Soun approached the door. "I hope this is good idea."  
  
The door opened and there stood a very small and old Chinese woman on the top of a cane that was about as old as the woman herself. "Come in Soun."  
  
Soun laughed with a twinge of nervousness in his voice. "Hello Cologne, how are you this fine day?"  
  
"I know you are here for something Soun, I can see it in your eyes." Cologne's gaze was chilling his bones. He had to hurry up and ask her before his head exploded.  
  
"What do you know about shinigami?"  
  
"I know that you would have to be pretty stupid to make a deal with one. They are persistent on getting what they want." Cologne hopped on her cane towards the backroom motioning for Soun to follow her.  
  
"Is there anyway to undo a deal?" Soun started to look more upset.  
  
"Anything in this world is possible, though it doesn't mean it would be easy." Cologne wondered just what sort of trouble Soun had gotten himself into. "Soun, why don't you just tell me what this is all about? I don't know if I can help unless I know exactly what is going on."  
  
Soun looked at the old woman. "You have to promise me you will not tell anyone."  
  
Cologne promised. "This is a long story, I hope you have time." Cologne poured them both some tea and Soun began his story.  
  
Cologne nodded her head at the completion of Soun's story. "It looks like you have a very big problem there."  
  
"Do you know of anything we can do Cologne? Please my daughter is innocent and has done nothing to deserve this." Soun was afraid; first to lose his daughter and second that Cologne would use this to take Ranma away from the Tendo family.  
  
Cologne motioned for him to lean in as she started to whisper to him. He nodded his head a few times and then quickly got up to rush out the door but not before thanking her profusely.  
  
"It might not be a lost cause after all Kari, Daddy will fix all of this. That I swear as a martial artist."  
  
Soun left the café but was careful to make sure no one saw him. He made his way back to the dojo and waited for instructions from Cologne.  
  
"THAT JERK!" Akane walked up the street to the gate of her house. "Why does he always have to take off to Ukyo's after school for a snack." She sighed as she walked into the foyer and slipped off her shoes. "I'm home."  
  
Kasumi stopped what she was doing. "Oh no, what will I tell Akane if she asks why I am cleaning out the spare room? I better put this stuff back."  
  
Kasumi turned around to find Akane climbing the stairs. She quickly shut the door hiding what she was doing. "Why hello Akane, how was school today?"  
  
"It was fine Kasumi. I'm just going to go do my homework and then practice some before dinner." Akane went to enter her room just as Kasumi's voice stopped her.  
  
"Where is Ranma?" That was the wrong question to ask. Akane's face went red and she nearly ripped the handle off the door.  
  
"That JERK is at Ukyo's getting a before dinner snack."  
  
"Oh, ok then."  
  
Akane noticed that Kasumi was standing in front of the spare room where the family stored extra items. "Hey Kasumi, you're all dirty, what are you doing in that room?"  
  
"Nothing." With that Kasumi took off downstairs to make dinner.  
  
Akane's thoughts went back to Ranma and she quickly forgot about the room and Kasumi being quite dusty.  
  
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Kari lay in bed she couldn't seem to sleep. She wondered why her Mom was on the phone so late but she could ask her about that tomorrow. She would be on a plane shortly and she would know her sisters. That's all that mattered now finding her sisters and figuring out why she was really given away. Her heart sank. "What if they don't love me? What if I go out there and they want nothing to do with me?"  
  
Kari drifted off to sleep only to have a rough night of horrible dreams about her family.  
  
A small voice from nowhere particular said. "It will all be over soon." 


	5. She's here

Cologne sat in the back room of her café. It was time to get the plan into action. She picked up the phone and dialed a number carefully. "Hello? Yes, this is Ms. Sanderson with the International Student Exchange Program. I'm calling regretfully that you will no longer be hosting a one Tendo Kari. Circumstances have arisen and we thank you for time and we will look into placing another student with you in the future."  
  
Cologne hung up the phone. "That went better than expected. It's amazing how these people will just except anything told to them."  
  
With that done Cologne waited for the phone to ring to begin the next stage of her plan.  
  
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Kari's alarm clock went off. "Stupid flight having to leave at 4am." She crawled out of bed and looked around her room. She might not be here for a while so she should really take a good look at the place. She managed to pack her bags only leaving a few things behind she could not fit.  
  
Lilly came to her door and knocked. "Kari, you awake?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm up. You can come in if you want." She stood in the middle of her room with her bags by the door. She had already slipped into the clothes she would be wearing for the long flight.  
  
Lilly looked at Kari, she worried that this would be the last time she would ever see the girl. Sixteen years she had played Mother to Kari and now she was leaving. She tried to hold back her tears in vain. "Aww come on Mom, I said I forgave you and that I'm only going to be there for one school year."  
  
Kari hugged her Mom, she didn't care if it wasn't her real Mom because she loved her and that's all that mattered. "Help me lug these heavy things downstairs?" Lilly nodded.  
  
Kari took one last look around her room. She noticed the picture of her and her Mom pinned to her notice board. She walked over to it and carefully pulled out the pushpin that held it in place. "I miss you already Mom." She slipped the picture into the travel journal she bought to document her journey.  
  
She grabbed her last bag and headed downstairs. Lilly was in the kitchen packing up some snacks for Kari's flight. She wrote a little note. (Kari, I know I'm a terrible cook so I bought you some snacks. Please do your best to be careful; I will come visit when I can get some time off from work. I love you Kari, my sweet daughter. Signed Love Mom.)  
  
Lilly put the snacks into Kari's carry on backpack. They did a last minute at the house check for everything. "You have your ticket right?"  
  
"For the millionth time, yes."  
  
"You have enough clean underwear?" "MOM!"  
  
"Well, you can never have too many pairs of clean underwear." Lilly smiled at Kari.  
  
"Thanks, Mom." Kari looked at her Mom trying hard not to get all mushy.  
  
"What are you thanking me for?" Lilly looked a little confused.  
  
"Well for not fighting me on this, I mean you could have just not signed the paper and I would have had no choice. Thanks for understanding I have to do this." A tear fell down Kari's cheek.  
  
"Don't you get me crying already we aren't even out of the driveway yet."  
  
Lilly put the last bag in the trunk of the car. "Kari, you can't go." Lilly said flatly.  
  
"What? Why can't I go?" Kari started to look a little more annoyed than sad.  
  
"Because I was supposed to teach you how to drive this year." Lilly's eyes met Kari's she smiled at her.  
  
"Mom, I AM coming back." Kari hugged her Mom again. She could tell this was going to be a very emotional day.  
  
"Well you have your ticket, right? You have the papers for school, doctors records, and the name of the family coming to pick you up?"  
  
Kari pulled the folder out. "Everything is right here. I checked it 200 times last night."  
  
"Well check it 201 just to make sure. For me ok?" Lilly worried. She wanted to stretch out time as long as possible.  
  
Kari pulled out all the papers and showed her Mother. "See?"  
  
"Ok. Ok. We can leave now." They both got into the car and fastened their seatbelts. The airport was only thirty minutes away. Lilly handed Kari an envelope.  
  
"What's this Mom?"  
  
"Open it, because I don't want you to open it on the plane." Inside was a card. The picture on the front was the Japanese character for Luck. Inside the card there was some money and a necklace with a charm on it.  
  
"Oh Mom, you didn't have to do this." Kari looked at the necklace. It shimmered metallic silver.  
  
"Kari I want you to put on that necklace and never take it off ok?" Kari looked at her Mom strangely. She put on the necklace with a small square charm on it. "What does this character mean?" Kari held the charm up to her face.  
  
"It is to protect you. I know how you talk about how superstitious I can be but please; Japan is a very different place. Just promise me you won't take it off."  
  
"I promise." Kari was still very sleepy. She had gotten no sleep the night before or last night and now she was traveling in a plane for fourteen hours with who knows how many crazy people.  
  
"Don't forget to speak in Japanese, I know I've been very lax about it around the house but you want people to understand you all the time. Oh and no slang either." Kari glared at her Mother.  
  
"Mom, I won't forget to speak in Japanese. Geez how stupid do you think I am?" Kari grumbled.  
  
Lilly pulled the car into short-term parking. Kari got out of the car and grabbed a luggage trolley to put her bags on. She was going to have to go through customs. When all of a sudden she panicked. "MOM my passport! I forgot it!" Kari's face grew white.  
  
Lilly looked at Kari. "You see? Do you see why I nag?" Lilly opened her purse and pulled out Kari's passport that she put in there while packing Kari's snacks. Kari sighed.  
  
"Oh man, I can't believe I almost forgot that." She hugged her Mom tightly. "You are a life saver Mom."  
  
Kari pushed the trolley up to the check in counter. She handed the woman her tickets and other papers. The woman clicked away at the keyboard and a printer started to buzz. Kari grabbed her backpack off the trolley and a man came to take her bags to the plane. The woman handed Kari back her papers and told her the directions to follow.  
  
Kari and Lilly walked up to the gate Kari would be leaving from. They still had fifteen minutes before she would get to board the plane. Kari spent that time hugging her Mom and quietly crying into her shirt. Lilly just held Kari and tried to keep it together.  
  
An announcement was heard. Kari's plane was now boarding. "I guess this is good-bye." Lilly said looking so sad.  
  
"It's more like see ya later Mom. I'll be back after the school year is over." Kari gave her Mom one last squeeze before she walked down the ramp to the plane. The Flight Attendant smiled as she passed. She turned around to see her Mom standing there waving at her. She waved back and walked the rest of the way to the plane.  
  
Kari sat down in her seat; the flight was not overly crowded. She might actually get to sit somewhat by herself. She put her backpack under the seat in front of her and put on her seatbelt. The flight attendants closed up the door and Kari sighed in relief that she would be able to sit alone for the trip.  
  
The flight attendants announced the in-flight movie and Kari put on her headphones and fell asleep. Some time later. "Miss, excuse me Miss. Would you like to have lunch?"  
  
Kari opened her eyes and quickly nodded her head yes. "Thank you very much, I guess I was really tired. Do you know how long we have been in flight for?"  
  
"I think it has been about eight hours now." With that she placed a tray of neatly wrapped food in front of Kari.  
  
Kari ate slowly still waking up from her dream. "I wonder where all that martial arts stuff came from. It looked just like a movie."  
  
The sleep was leaving her quickly along with the last of her dream. Kari noticed her headphones had fallen to the floor; she picked them up and placed them back in her backpack.  
  
The flight attendant came back around to take the trays from the passengers. Kari had eaten most of her lunch and drank a little too much soda. She unfastened her seat belt and walked down the isle to the restroom. A few minutes later she emerged and headed back to her seat. When she got there a small boy was sitting in her place. "Umm hello there."  
  
"Hi, my name is Lee, and yours is Kari." He smiled a big grin, two of his front teeth missing.  
  
"How, how do you know my name?" Kari grew pale.  
  
"You were talking in your sleep. Were you having a bad dream?" Inquired the little boy.  
  
"Not really." Kari unclenched her hand. She couldn't understand why she suddenly got so jumpy. He was just a little boy.  
  
A voice came from behind Kari; it was the little boy's Mother. "Lee, you get back over here and leave that girl alone."  
  
Lee got up and started to leave. "Hey lady, I hope you find your sister."  
  
Kari's mouth dropped. Then she thought it must have just been her talking out loud in her dream. She eyed the little boy as he walked back to his Mother. "I really miss my Mom already."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------  
  
Cologne called for Shampoo and Mousse; she needed to get them occupied until she could safely bring Kari back to the café. "What you need Great Grandmother?"  
  
"I need for you and Mousse to complete all the tasks on this list." Cologne handed them to Shampoo. The list seemed to go on forever. Shampoo did not question her great grandmother and set out with Mousse in tow to complete the tasks.  
  
As soon as the two were out of site the phone rang. "Hello? I see, I will be there shortly." Cologne hung up the phone and looked for the number for a cab company. She gave the person on the other end her address and was told a cab would be there shortly.  
  
Cologne waited for the cab out front of the closed restaurant. "I'll have to remember to charge Tendo for a day of lost business." The cab pulled up and Cologne got in. Without word the driver headed towards the airport.  
  
Cologne handed the driver the details on the gate number and where she wanted to be dropped off. The car came to a stop; Cologne paid the driver and headed inside. She hoped Kari would not have landed but the time was being cut very close.  
  
Cologne reached the gate and pulled out a sign with Kari's name on it from somewhere behind her back. People were starting to exit the plane lugging small children with them and bags clattering around. Cologne instantly recognized her when she emerged from the door. She could not believe she was indeed seeing Akane's twin.  
  
Kari saw the old woman with the sign and walked over to her with an odd look on her face. "Hello. Are you my host parent?" Trying so hard to be rude but she expected someone much closer to the age of her own Mother.  
  
"I'm Cologne, I'll be your host parent while you are in Japan. The first family was not able to perform the duties and I was put in place last minute. I hope this does not upset you too much." Cologne tried very hard not to draw suspicion.  
  
"Oh, no that's fine. I have to get my bags and then we can leave." Kari smiled; she couldn't believe she was in Japan already. She adjusted her backpack and they headed to pick up her other luggage. Three suitcases later the two of them were at the curb hailing a cab to bring them home.  
  
There wasn't much talk on the ride to her new home, which was fine by Kari, she felt very tired from the plane ride and just wanted to crash. They pulled up in front of the café and Kari was a little confused. "Are we stopping to eat?"  
  
"No dear, this is where you will be staying. See I own this café and run it with the help of my great grand daughter." Cologne hopped out of the car and lead the driver inside with the bags. She handed him a tip and he disappeared out the door.  
  
"Why don't you come inside dear, I'll make you something to eat." Cologne trying to get Kari inside as soon as possible. She couldn't let her be seen by anyone just yet.  
  
Kari entered the café; she followed the path Cologne walked through a door and into the back room. She sat down on a stool and waited for Cologne to fix her something to eat.  
  
"I hope you like Ramen." Cologne placed a large bowl in front of Kari. Kari nodded and started eating. On her third bite the back door flew open and in crashed Mousse in duck form.  
  
Mousse took one look at Kari and then back at Cologne who sighed deeply. "Oh Mousse, I suppose Shampoo will be here shortly." Kari was not prepared for what she saw next, Cologne took a large metal teapot full of hot water and poured it over the duck's head.  
  
"WHAT THE?" Kari jumped off her stool and bumped into the wall behind her.  
  
"Kari, no need to be afraid dear." Kari turned bright red as she slowly stopped being scared and noticed the boy before her was completely naked. A flash of bright red came over her face and she turned her eyes to the floor.  
  
Before Mousse could speak Cologne yelled at him to put some clothes on. Mousse ran up the stairs and a door slammed shut. "What was that? He was just a duck wasn't he? I don't understand what is going on."  
  
"Mousse has a Jusenkyo curse." Cologne kept cooking whole she was talking.  
  
"A Jusenkyo curse? What is that?" Kari started to worry, would she catch a Jusenkyo curse.  
  
"Jusenkyo is a place in China, there are cursed springs there. Each spring has a tragic legend of something drowning in it. If you fall into a spring you turn into the thing that died in the legend. Mousse fell into the Spring of the Drowned Duck. When he is hit with cold water he turns into a duck, when he is hit with hot water he turns back into a boy." Cologne turned to Kari who seemed a little less scared.  
  
"It's not contagious is it?" Kari looked at the stairs where the once naked boy stood looking back at her.  
  
"No, it's not contagious Kari. Catching a Jusenkyo curse is the least of your worries. You should finish your ramen before it gets cold."  
  
Mousse looked at Cologne, then back at the look who sort of resembled someone he knew but could not tell being his glasses were a little scratched.  
  
Kari sat back on her stool. Cologne figured she might as well introduce the two being Mousse knows she is here. "Kari, that boy there is Mousse. He lives here also and helps with the café. Mousse, this is Kari from The United States of America. She will be staying with us through the exchange student program."  
  
Mousse bowed to Kari. "It is nice to meet you Kari."  
  
The door slammed open again and stormed Shampoo. "Stupid Mousse." She trailed off seeing an Akane Tendo with longer hair sitting in the room.  
  
"What too too." Cologne interrupted Shampoo before she could get out another word.  
  
"Shampoo I thought I asked you and Mousse to complete a list of tasks this morning?" Cologne looked quite annoyed and Shampoo did not want to anger her. She might be old but she could take Shampoo down with as little as a look. "Stupid Mousse take off while trying to complete tasks." Shampoo stated.  
  
Mousse just sat there knowing the truth but his love for Shampoo kept him from saying anything. Shampoo started to acknowledge Kari again when Cologne figured she had better introduce her also before something is said.  
  
"Shampoo, this is Kari. She will be staying with us for the school year. I want to you be nice to her and not cause any trouble." Cologne looked at Shampoo her eyes telling her she meant business.  
  
Kari had finished her ramen and yawned. "You must be exhausted. Shampoo help Kari bring her things upstairs into the guest room."  
  
Shampoo complied. She grabbed all of Kari's bags and ran up the stairs. Kari was dumbfounded but followed her up. She walked into a small room with a bed and a dresser in it. Shampoo put her bags down. "Make yourself comfortable."  
  
Shampoo exited the room. She couldn't figure out how this girl who looked exactly like Akane Tendo ended up her but she was going to find out soon.  
  
"Great grandmother. Who is that girl?" Shampoo stood next to Cologne and started to prepare vegetables.  
  
"Shampoo, I don't want you going anywhere near Ranma until I say it is ok. There is much going on that I can't tell you right now. Do not treat Kari as if you know her." Cologne looked at Shampoo.  
  
Shampoo looked sad. "Does Shampoo have to give up on Ranma?"  
  
"For right now yes." Cologne kept working on that night's menu.  
  
"So who is she?" Asked Mousse.  
  
Cologne motioned for them to come closer. "She is Akane Tendo's twin sister."  
  
"What?" Both of them said at the same time.  
  
"It's a long story, one I can not tell you right now. All you need to know is her life is in grave danger and I agreed to protect her."  
  
"In danger? What kind of danger?" Shampoo's voice sounded a little concerned.  
  
"I can not say. Just agree that you will not mention her to anyone. I need to do more research before anyone can find out she is here. Cologne motioned to a large stack of books on the counter.  
  
Shampoo looked at them, they all dealt with death spirits. "Great grandmother?" She pointed to the words on the cover of the book and Cologne just nodded. Shampoo knew this was very serious. "I promise I will not say anything."  
  
"Go open up the doors in front, we need to make up for lost profit this afternoon." Shampoo left the kitchen.  
  
"Mousse you too have to promise not to say anything to anyone." She handed him a bag of garbage.  
  
"I promise." He walked out the back door to put the trash in the can.  
  
Mousse thought to himself. What are we in for now? His thoughts quickly moving on to the fact Shampoo was forbidden to see Ranma. "I could get her to love me now." He said to himself.  
  
Kari lay on her bed asleep. Her dreams rushing in and jolting her to a false reality. "Where am I?" She looked around. Everything was pitch black.  
  
A voice started talking to her. "Kari, you are in danger. You have to leave." She thought she recognized the voice. It sounded like a woman she knew.  
  
"Hello? Who's there?" She called out into the darkness.  
  
A woman appeared before her. Her face was blank but the voice started to sound like her Mother's. The woman dressed in a Kimono started to walk away. "Mom?"  
  
The figure kept walking. Further and further away. "Wait! Come back."  
  
Kari couldn't move, the darkness started to close in. She heard a knock. It kept growing louder and louder. She placed her hands over her ears. She looked into the distance for her Mother but she was already gone. Kari kept yelling out to her though. Soon all she could hear was the knock and her voice was drowned out.  
  
"MOM!!!" 


End file.
